Automatic machine for displaying advertisements, posters, pictures, show cards, and the like



Dec. 25, 1928,.

1596655 W. THORPE AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR DISPLAYING ADVERTISEMENTS, POSTERS, PICTURES, SHOW'CARDS, AND THE LIKE k Filed Aug- 13, I925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 a t 6 2 8 5 x .64

2 I X HM 2949 i 7/ 6'4 7 64 r /2 I 65 I o I W. THORPE AU'I'OIATIO IAOBINE FOR DISPLAYING ADVERTISEIENTS,

POSTERS; PICTURES, SHOW CARDS AND THE LIKE I 1 Filed Aug. 13, 1925 2 SheotvShoet 2 Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED vs ratrans 1,696,655 rests-T WILLIZAM'EHORPE, OF -WELLING1ON, NEW ZEALAND.

.AIIIIQM' ATIC YMACHINE {FOR EDISPLAYING *ZAIDYERIDISEMENTS, 'POS'IIERS, .PIGTURES,

SHOW CARDS, AND *THE IJI-KE.

Application filed August-13, A925. Serial 5N0. Q,Q-78.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in automatic machines which are adapted to dis play advertisements, posters, ;pictures and the .like mounted on a revolvable screen, .or the machine may beused foranyother similarpurpose. I

The objectof the inventionis to provide an improved type otmaehinewhereby the display off said advertisements,.posters,.pictures, show cards and the like, isentirely automatic; andonce the .machine .is set in motion it willdisplay inthecourseotth revolution. of :its screen, any desired number of advertisements .or the dike ,tor a ,given time, andsuehtime can be varied. .Further, whenJthei'nll rangeror series of advertisements orthelike hasbeen sllmvmthe machine will.automatically(reverse'itself to again display, the advertising. matter orthej like.

The invention comprises a .frame member in which is mounteid a pail-of .r-evolvable superin posedrollers.upon which a screenis adapted :to' revolve; the rollers are in ,engagement with each otherthroughihe medium. of an. endlessbelt of leather or. the like. Motion is imparted. .to the top roller by means of an electric motor suitably connected to reduction gearing, on the shaft: of which are .nionnted. cams actuating movable lever mechanism ghaving mounted thereon apparatus whose parts. engage with suitably positionedprojecting pins mounted onanlendlesschain connected to the :said top roller. Automatic meansitor reversing the action of the rollers isprovided, andother details of construction .areembodied in the invention as will. hereinafterbe described.

Referring I to the {drawings accompanying this specification -Figure .,1 is. perspective rear .view. of the machine.

V Figure 2 is a perspective view of the reversing mechanism.

.Figure 3 isa. perspectiveview of, the slotted sliding member .as seen from underneath same,,to more clearly indicate its several component. parts, and the operation; of. same,

Figure 4 is a perspective rear .viewotthe reversing rods, the. endless chain, the sliding member. and its attendant-parts and the automatic triggermeclmllism for controlling the forward .or reverse movement of the, machine.

,Figu-re 5 is. a perspective .view indicating the motor, .Iteducing gearing, ,cam ,member andthe pivoted ba Figure .6 is a rbroken ,perspective view showlng the .cam operatlon of [the actuating bars.

Figure ,7 ,is a perspective view-of .the lever I mechanism providing ior the ,reversal. of the operation.

There ,is a irame member preferably of iron comprisi g .fQur uprigh standa ds, l, 1 1 1?, adapted .toYbe suitably ,stayed lengthwise andcrosswise. to form a. rigid conue ion, means, Qthough not shown), m y be provid d I at the ,lower end of. each ,standardt'or securing. theframe imposition on. any desired .site. ,lwo superimposed rollers 52 andfiof any desireddiame'ter according'to the size of the im chine areprovided; these rollers: are. eachlreyed to; spiiid'lesy and. 5 respectively, 'which revolve .in .ball bearings mounted on adjustable bracket ,members i6 and ,7 .securfitlat. each end, ,o't' the frame. memher. The saidrollers 2 and. 3 are adaptedto upon which may be .posit ioned suitable eadvertisementsposters, cards and thelikeadvertising mediums. Ononeend ofthe top roller spindle ,t sprocket Wheel ,9 upon whiehjis. mounted, an endless chain ,10' having a suitable ,number of jlinks and projecting pins 11. The chain 10 is connected: toe-lower sprocket .wheel l2'mounted ona spindle 1:8

etained in bearing o an adjustabl racke member, 14 attachedtOath .ml-iI fl1L1 PQSltlOIlGdfthfitgtllG second sprocket .wheel 12 will r be in vertical. alignment .with the first. This construction provides .a .means for revolving the top roller-2 inconjunction with parts as will be hereinafter, described.

Themotive power for the. machine is supplied byan electric motor 15. of suitable. power accQrding thesiz 0 h na hin t .i a

'havedetachably mounted thereon a screen, 8

of the drawings, the said cams are adapted to engage with revolvable roller members 23 and 24 mounted on pivoted bars 25, to raise and lower the bars during the revolution of the said cams. The cam 21 operating beneath the roller members to raise the pivoted bars 25, and the cam 22 operating above the roller members to pull the bars 25 down, thereby ensuring a positive action. The roller 24 engages the inner surface 22 of the cam 22 while the extension 23 of the roller 24 engages the outer surface 21 of the cam 21. The pivoted bar 25 is indicated by dash and dot lines to save obliterating as much as possible that part of the drawing not understood. It will be clear that the part 23 of the roller is disposed between the two members of the pivoted bar 25 while the part 24 of the roller is projected outwardly from the outer surface of one of the members of the said bar 25.

It will be seen also that the surface 21 of the cam 21 coming in contact with the roller 23 will in the course of a portion of its revolution lift the pivoted bar 25, while in the continuation of the revolution will synchronize with the cam 22. The path 21 of the cam 21 being fashioned to conform with the part 22 of the cam 22, the only difierence being the said paths are struck from a common center but at different radii; the path 22 being greater than the path 21 of the cam 21. The cam if preferred could be made in one, in these circumstances it would be a face one, the

'groove for the roller path therein by its inner vertical surface of the groove is capable of raising the pivoted bar 25 while the outer vertical face of the groove being equivalent to the cam 22, is capable of transmitting a downward movement to the pivoted bar 25. The said bars 25 are pivotally mounted at one end on a spindle 26 attached to the frame member preferably adjacent the motor; and the. said bars 25 are then continued across the machine and have mounted on the end 25 vertically disposed links 2'? and 27 on the end 27 of which (Figure is pivotally mounted a sliding member 28 in the manner shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. The said sliding member 28 which is capable of vertical movement only, is retained in position on two guide rods 29 and 29 positioned one on each side of the aforesaid. sprocket wheel. 12, and the sliding member 28 when mounted thereon embraces the endless chain 10 connecting the two sprocket wheels 9 and 12 before referred to, see Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. 3 At suitableintervals on the endless chain 10 there are metal projecting'pins 11 PIBVL- ously referred to, a pin of each set being always in alignment on the chain, see Figures 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings.

Suitably housed within the said sliding member 28 are automatic means for engaging with the said projecting pins 11 suitably positioned on the endless chain 10 so as to revolve the top screen roller 2 in whichever direction it is desired.

The said engaging means consist of spring retained pivotally mounted flaps or triggers 31 and 31 fashioned as indicated in Figure 3 and forming part of a sliding shutter member 32 capable of longitudinal movement in the bottom of member 28. The said flaps or tri 31 and 31 have their central portion cut out as shown to permit movement of the endless chain 10 therethrough. Pivotally mounted on the inside face 34 of the slotted sliding member 28 is a circular mem ber 35 from which project two arms 36 and 35 connected by a cross piece 37 on which is slidably retained a coiled spring 38 on the free end of which is a rod 39 the opposite end of which is connected to the bracket member 14 attached to the frame of the machine, this construction being for the purpose of retaining the circular member in its adjusted position. Connected to the inside face of the said circular member 35 is a pivoted link 40, Figure 3, one end 41 of said link being connected to the aforesaid sliding shutter 32 capable of lateral movement in the bottom of the sliding bar member 28, and as before described, the movement of the shutter 32 actuates the spring retained flaps or triggers 31 and 31 which as before described are capable of engaging either set of projecting pins 11 suitably positioned on the sprocket chain 10 before referred to.

rechanism will now be described for controlling the forward and reverse movement of the screen rollers 2 and 3, and for operating 7 the circular member 35 attached to the sliding shutter 32. whereby 0n the downward movement of the said slotted sliding member 28, the pivotally mounted and spring actuated flap or trigger adjusted for engagement for the time being will automatically engage with a projecting pin 11 suitably positioned on the chain 10 to either revolve the screen in a forward or reverse direction.

There is a worm 42 mounted on the top roller spindle 4 (see Figure 2) the said worm engages with a worm wheel 44 having any desired number of teeth according to the size of the machine. In the sides of the said worm wheel a series of holes 45 are drilled. in which pins are inserted, (one of the said pins being indicated by the numerical 46.) the heads thereof project outwards from each side of the said worm wheel 44. ()ne of the other pins when two are used. project outwardly fromthe other side of the said wheel. 44 (not shown in the drawings) for engagement with a lever to trip the circular member 35 to give the screen an upward movement, while the pin 46 is adapted to engage lever 49 on the top hand edge thereof to trip the circular member 35 to give the screen a downward movement. The number of holes in'the worm wheel will be theieapaci-ty of the lnaelilne, and ylf said machine as irunning (at its full capacity the said p'ins 46am :opposite each other. If .onthe other hand the machine is not runningat its full capacity, then for the sake of illustrationpresumingth-at forty advertisements are being exposed, the said pins 46 aresso adjust-ed that the screen will automatically reverse on the completion of'the fortyexposures. The said worm wheel 44 i s suitably retained on a spindle .47 mounted in aprojecting bracket 48 attached to the frame'of the machine. There are levers 49 and 50suspended vertically from each side of the worm wheel i l to be pivoted at their top and on the spindle .liimounted in the said ;projecting bracket 48. The said levers are pivotally connected .as indicated in Figure 2 ofthe drawings to .cross rods 51 and 52 which pass underneath the top roller 2, thenee acrosstheanachine to .be retained in holes 53and 53 formed .in the cross stay The downward dependent lever 50 is coupled indirectly to 'the cross-rod 52through themedium of a horizontalextension50 of the .said lever 50. A rocking arm 50 ispivotally connected at 50 to the said horizontal projection 50 the :Sil'ld rocking arm is mounted upon sthe spindle 750 vthe lower end thereof being pivotally coupled to the cross rod 52 and 510 :Atcoiledspring 55 is neo-unted .on-the freeend 5250f. each crossrod-5l and 52; eachspring55 being kept in {position by havingone end thereof bearing against the inner face 56 of the cross stay 54land theother end bearing against a washer 57 which is kept inposition on the rod 51 01-52 by means of split vpin-58 -passing through the said rod. The object of providing the said coiled springs 55:is.-to ensure a returnof the cross rods 51: and 52 totheir normal position as indicatedinFigures-1 and 2- after either one has operated the reversing mechanism.

Meansifor keeping a tension onthe screen 8 to prevent puckering thereof comprises two grooved belt pulley members 59 and 60 mounted on each end of the two screenrroller spindles 24 and 5 the said, pulleys 59 and 60 being connected. by a drive of any suitable design such asa leather belt 61,which is, preferably of circular cross section. Describing the right hand end of the: machine (looking at Figure l), the-belt pulley 59 mounted on thetopfiscreen roller spindle dis smaller in diameter than=the pulley60 mounted on the bottom screen roller spindle 5, and said pul ley 59 is V shaped in order togrip the belt as in the manner of driving pulley; and it is a free pulley when the screen 8 is winding ontlie top roller 2, and-a fixed pulleyiwhen the screen 8 is unwinding fromsaid roller 2; the v changefbeingiefiected. through the medinm .of spring retained ;pawls -62 pivotally mounted on the side of the belt -pulley 59 engaging a ratchet wheel =63 mounted adj acent ;to said pulley. [El e object of having the said pulley :60 larger than'the diameter of the pulley 59 iszto rotate theloweri-screen roller when the screen -,8 is being wound thereon at a slightly increased peripheral speed over the ttoprroller-2, thuskeeping a tension on--the screen S-and avoiding puckering, and the QgIOOVQOf the said pulley 60 being U shaped permits the belt (Eltoslip thereon to provide a frictional release and avoid undue strain or over. stretching of the saidscreen. On the other end of the machine i. e. the left hand, with -IGffi1'fll108i0 l igure 2, the position of .thepulleys above described are reversedythe free pulleyv and its spring retained ;pivotally mounted pawl. and the wheelratchet beingv attached to the lower screen roller :spindle, while the '.U shaped pulley indicated at 59,is;keyed:to therspindle lofthe top roller 2. The object of reversing the posi tion of the. pulleys is toro-tatethe top roller: at a slightly increased: peripheral speed to-keep a teusionon-the screenand ,prevent puckering thereof when the said screen is being ovound on the .to-p roller andlto ,provide frictional release in the event-of undue strain beingput upon the said screen. 7

Means are provided for'keeping a tension on the-pulley belt drive 61, and comprisea bracket member 64,.attachedto themain frame of .the machine ateach .end thereof in any suitableiposition. There isa slot65 ,cut in the said bracket 64in which is adjustably mounted a spindle t 6.6 having mounted "thereona grooved pulley .67 the said;pulley by reason of the said sloth-5 in said bracket 64 being capableof lateral .movement towards oraway afronrthe'belt-(il according to the tension desired to be. placed thereon; and inadditien, by :increasing or .reducing the saidtonsionron the said belt drive '61, any slight irregularity .inthe travel ofthe screen 8 can betaken up by tightening or slackening the said belt 61 according tothe direction of the irregularity. Thatis topsaypifthe said screen 8 is overetraielling,thertensiononrthe saidbelt (Sliseased while iflthe reverse action occurs and the irregularity is undertravelvthe tension on the said'belt 6.1 is in creased.

Means areiialso provided for keeping the top rollerQof the machine from spinningwhen in operation,--and crnnprisesa brake band 68 of any suitable materialwhich ena flange 69 at one end 70 of the top roller 2, the said brake bandi68 being 'heldin position thereon under a slight tension by a coiled spring7lg' from the free end of which depends a tension rod 172 having a weight 73 on-its lower end. When the main pivotedtbar-25 isalmost .downrat the bottom of the stroke,.the said bar engages with the weight 7 3in a-manner torputan added tension on thecoiledispring7Z1, therebycau-sing the brake band (38 attached thereto to b ar on the flange 69 of the top screen roller 2 and check any tendency of it to spin and cause a puckering of the screen 8.

The operation of the machine is as follows Assuming that the screen 8 containing the advertisements and the like is on the top roller 2 ready to be displayed, the screen 8 is therefore ready to be wound on to the bottom roller 3.

The motor 15 is then set in motion operating the earing indicated at 17 and 19 in the accompanying drawings in order to reduce the gear ratio and transmit motion to the main operating spindle 20. in the course of the revolution of the said spindle 20 the cam 21 mounted thereon revolves and coming into contact with the revolvable roller mounted on the pivoted bar 25, moves the said pivoted bar in an upward direction. he pivoted bar 25 in its upward movement actuates the vertically disposed link members 27 and 27 attached to the said bar 25 and in the slow upward movement of the links the slotted sliding member 28 is raised upwardly on its vertical guides 29 and 29 to the full height allowed by the cam 21. During the said upward movement, one of the pivoted flaps 31 or 31 (see Figure 8) will pass over the projecting pins 11 on the chain 10, it being un derstood that the said flaps only move downwardly to allow passing over the said pins, the upward movei'nent of the said flaps being stopped by hearing against the undersurface of the slotted. member 28. The cam 21 is now at the height of its travel, and on turning further causes a downward movement of the pivoted bar 25which downward movement is assisted by the inner face of the second cam 22 engaging the second roller member 24L- attached to the pivoted bar 25 during the revolution of the main operating spindle 20.

The downward movement of the pivoted bar 25 causes the links 27 and 27 and the sliding member 28 attached thereto to move downward also, and itis on said downward movement that the projecting pivotal flap 31 as indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings will engage with a projecting pin 11 on the sprocket chain 10, causing the top screen roller 2 and screen 8 attached thereto to be revolved, and thereby bring the advertisement or the like mounted on said screen 8 into the display position fora stated time. It will be understood from this description that in the course of their further revolution, the came 21 and will operate the pivoted bar and its attendantparts to repeat. the display (meration, and also that upon the downward movement of the pivoted bar 25 a tension is placed on the coiled spring 71 with its brake band attached thereto, to check any tendency of the screen roller to spin.

Describing the operation of the various parts for reversing the action of the machine, that is, when it is desired to revolve the screen containing the advertisements from the bottom roller 8 on to the top one 2. During the course of the revolution of the top roller 2 in the forward direction, it actu ates the worm 42 attached to the too roller spindle 4 and in its revolution the worm 42 revolves the worm wheel 44 before referred to. Pins 46 have been placed in the holes in the face of the pinion d4; at desired intervals, and during; the course of the revolution of the pinion, the pin on the inside face of said pinion will. engage with its dependent lever 19 and cause such dependent lever 49 and cross rod 51 attached thereto to be moved forward against the influence of its spring 55 so that the point 51 of the lever 51 projects through the hole in the cross stay 54:, and on the next upward movement of the slotted sliding member 28, he arm 36 connected to the circular member will engage with the protruding point 51 of the lever 51 causing said arm 36 to be forced downwards turning the circular member 35 on its spindle, and in its revolution actuating the link 40 connected to the sliding shutter 32 which will cause the forward flap or trigger 31 to be thrown out of gear with the pin 11 on the sprocket chain 10 and the reverse trigger 31 to be automatically drawn into a position to engage the opposing pin 11 on the sprocket chain 10, and so revolve the top roller 2 in the reverse direction on the next downward movement of the slotted sliding member 28. It will be understood from this description when the bottom screen rollor 3 has been again unwound, that the reversing gear before referred to will operate the lever 50 and its cross rods 52 causing the circular member 35 to be returned to the position as is indicated in Figures 3 and l of the accompanying drawings.

The mechanism of the machine is adapted to be suitably enclosed in a casing member made of any desired material such as wood, and will have a glass front, in which will be a. defined space for the advertisement and .the like matter to appear before the-public vision. 7

From. the foregoing description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular.features of advantage before enuinera-tcc des'rable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its: form, proportion, detail construction or arrangement of parts, without departing from the principle involved or ra-crificing any of its advantages.

VJhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An improved automatic machine for displaying posters, pictures, show cards, and the like, comprising a frame member, a pair of revoluble superimposed rollers mounted thereon, a driving connection between the rollers, a screen containing advertisements and the like mounted on said rollers, a motor, a drive chain connected to the upper roiler but free of driving connection with the lower roller, a sliding member to embrace said chain, pins on the chain, means on the sliding member whereby the pins may be selectivelyengaged to move the same in either direction in the movement of the sliding member, links depending from the sliding member, bars pivotally supported at one end and connected at the opposite end to said links, and cam mechanism for operating the bars in both directions whereby to reciprocate the sliding member. r

2. An improved automatic machine for displaying posters, pictures, show cards, and the like, comprising a frame member, a pair of revoluble superim osed rollers mounted in spaced vertical a ignment thereon, a driving connection between the rollers, a screen containing advertisements and the like mounted on said rollers, a drive chain connected to but one roller, a sliding member to embrace said chain, pins on the chain, pin engaging elements carried by the sliding member, means for operating said pin engaging elements to selectively engage the pins on either length of the chain to operate the latter in one direction or the other, bars pivoted at one end to the frame and extended beneath the lowermost roller, links connecting the free ends of said bars with the sliding member, cam mechanism supported on the frame beneath the lowermost roller for operating the bars in both directions whereby to reciprocate the sliding member, and a motor carried by the frame for operating the cam mechanism.

3. An improved automatic machine for dis playing posters, pictures, show cards and the like, comprising a frame member, a pair of revoluble superimposed rollers mounted thereon, an advertisement carrying screen mounted on the rollers, means for imparting motion to the top roller to cause the advertisements on the screen to be displayed for a determinate period, said means including a drive chain connected to the upper roller, a sliding member to embrace the chain, pins on the chain, and means on the sliding member to automatically engage either set of pins, said means comprising a slldlngshutter member mounted in the bottom of the said sliding member and having flaps pivotally mounted on the said sliding member.

l. An improved automatic means for displaying posters, including an upper and a lower roller, a display screen wound on the rollers, a drive chain for the upper roller, an operating means for said chain including pins carried on the chain, a member reciprocated longitudinally of the chain, selectively operable means carried by the reciprocated member whereby the pins may be engaged to move the chain in one direction or the other, and mechanism for automatically controlling the action of the selectively operable means including a wheel operated in the movement of the upper roller, a link controlling said selectively operable means, said wheel being formed with a series of openings to selectively receive a pin adapted to engage and operate the link at a predetermined point in the movement of the wheel, and means operated by the link to be moved to a position to control the action of said selectively operable means to thereby shift the selectively operable means for reversing the operation of the chain.

5. An improved automatic machine for displaying posters, pictures, show cards and the like, comprising a frame member, a pair of revoluble superimposed rollers mounted thereon, a screen containing advertisements or the like mounted on said rollers, means for imparting motion to the top roller for causing the advertisements on the screen to be displayed for a stated period, means for automatically reversing the action of the rollers, and means for keeping the tension on the screen to prevent puckering thereof, said last named means comprising pulleys arranged 1n pairs, one roller of each pair being fixed to a particular screen roller spindle and the other roller of each pair'having connection with the other screen roller spindle to fix the roller thereto or free the roller therefrom in accordance .with the direction of rotation of the spindle, a driving belt connecting each pair of pulleys, and an adjustablepulley to provide a varying tension for the said drivlng belt.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WVILLIAM THORPE. 

